Author: R.L. Caulder & M. Sinclair

Series: Fallen Destiny

First Published: 25 September 2024

“Will you share the demons that haunt your mind with me, Darling?”

I will start by saying that I was given an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own. Thank you so much to R.L Caulder and M. Sinclair for sending a copy my way!

I will try and keep my review as spoiler free as possible but just be wary if you haven’t read the first book, Wings of Stars.

Oh how the mighty have fallen…

Or rather, how we refused to turn a blind eye to the atrocities occurring in Alfemir any longer.

When I planned my escape from Alfemir’s cruelty and tight grip on the angels who live there, I never dared to think about returning. But that version of me is dead. My father and the other Archangels have no idea who, or what, I have become in my time away, and if they want to drag me back screaming, they have another thing coming.

When scouts find the Rebellion camp and blood stains the ground of our new home, we are left with no choice but to create a plan.

A plan to extinguish Alfemir and all they stand for.

Buried secrets come to life that have the opportunity to change the tides in our favor, but at what cost?

New enemies and friends reveal themselves, and I’m left reeling between all the connections around me and figuring out what each of them mean.

Is it possible to fall for more than one soul that calls out to me when it feels like I have a home in each of theirs More so, is it possible to not have to choose between them?

Fighting for those I’ve come to love, and the possibility of a better future for all, fills me with a purpose I’ve never felt before.

I just never thought my purpose would impact whether we all live or die in the end.

Stars, give me strength.

Umm, my book seems to be missing pages because there is no way we can end where we ended! Poor Kieran, she’s really going through it. And Bastin better not be too drained to help because it can’t have ended the way.

Kieran and the rest of the Rebellion are picking up the pieces after the surprise attack from Alfemir. Wings of Pain has the overall vibe of owning the battle, but now we must prepare for the war. There was a beautiful balance of healing and recovering after the battle alongside the training montages and preparing for the big fight. My jaw is still dropped over the Niz reveal. I love it. Also, so handy that we might have some more forces who can help overthrow the corrupt Alfemir. There is some tension between Niz and Ronan as Ronan deals with feelings of being betrayed and Ronan’s fear that he doesn’t have any abilities. Thankfully they talked it out. Now that the guys all seem to have the magic of different dead affinities, I wonder if that’s important to help Kieran fulfill the prophecy and save the world. I am hooked and excited to see how the rest of the war unfolds.

My heart aches for Kieran. She finally understands that she does magic and is worthy despite the hate and vitriol her father throws her way. But she has the added responsibility of being the final Star Keeper. Kieran is so hard on herself. She needs to be perfect and figure things out right away. Honestly, Kieran pushes herself to burn out. And it feels so authentic. Thank god for Gabe, Ronan, Steele, Bastin and Niss for being her support system, even if she tries her hardest to be self-reliant and pushes them away! They are becoming the supportive, safe space Kieran never had from a family.

The romance took a bit of a backseat, but, given that the plot has ramped up it feels natural. Kieran has thrown herself into training her new abilities and keeping up with her combat training. Bastin and Ronan also train their newly adapted abilities. Steele and Gabe’s focus is on rebuilding in the aftermath of the battle. On top of this, they all focus on their next steps. So, it makes sense that the romance hasn’t developed too much. Although, thankfully, Steele has pulled his head out of his ass and seems to be on board the sharing-is-caring train. He hasn’t officially said anything, but there has been less alpha posturing, and the guys are starting to work together. They made a chart of who gets to sleep in Kieran’s bed each night. I was cackling as they argued about who went first!

We see Kieran struggling with her growing feelings for five guys and trying to balance her time, so each person gets what they need for the relationship. It feels overwhelming and authentic teething issues of a new relationship. There are a few steamy scenes as Kieran squeezes in some one-on-one time with her guys. So far, no group scenes. I have my fingers crossed that we get one in the next book.

I loved getting to explore these dead magic affinities. Bastin is crazy powerful. I wonder what the limit of his power will be. Ronan has an interesting ability. We don’t know much about it since it was revealed right before the group left to find allies. I have my fingers crossed we get to know more. While we know Kieran’s ability is important, we don’t know much about it. I hope we see more of her abilities in the sequel. Also, the scene where Kieran meets the previous Star Keepers and they pass on their wisdom gave me Avatar the Last Air Bender vibes, which I just loved.

Wings of Pain is a captivating sequel. I loved how we learned more about the world and found a few more hidden affinities. If you love a paranormal romance that is, plot-focused, follows the same characters with a slow-burn romance, I highly recommend the series. And I am still not over the ending! Let the countdown for the next book, Wings of Hope, begin because I need answers!